If you prioritize a larger screen, higher build quality, longer battery life, and a more powerful system for demanding tasks like video editing or software development, the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) is an excellent choice. For those who need a more compact and versatile device, the ASUS ROG Flow X13 offers better portability with its smaller size and 2-in-1 design, alongside competent performance for gaming and other intensive tasks, due to its dedicated graphics capability. Keep in mind that the MacBook will generally be pricier, while the ASUS might provide better value if gaming or portability is a high priority. Give Feedback
this description is based on the product variant with some specs and product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars and the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Advantages of the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023)
Excellent overall display quality
Best in class overall build quality
Best in class battery life
Best in class speakers
Best in class keyboard
Advantages of the ASUS ROG Flow X13
Very good portability
Key differences
General Use
8.8/10
8.1/10
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
487.0 nits
DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS
511.0 nits
17.5 Hours
BATTERY LIFE
8.0 Hours
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
7.6/10
PORTABILITY SCORE
8.7/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) and ASUS ROG Flow X13 are both very good for general use, though the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) is somewhat better.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) offers a high-quality Mini LED screen, powerful Apple M3 Pro processors, and long battery life, making it well-suited for general use with excellent performance and display quality at the expense of higher weight.
Content Creation
8.9/10
8.2/10
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.2/10
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
18.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) and ASUS ROG Flow X13 are both very good for content creation, though the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) is somewhat better.
PerfectRec’s Content Creation Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for photo editing, video editing and other content creation tasks.
Software Development
8.9/10
8.0/10
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.2/10
18.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
9.5/10
KEYBOARD QUALITY SCORE
8.5/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) and ASUS ROG Flow X13 are both very good for software development, though the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) is somewhat better.
PerfectRec’s Software Development Score takes into account the many different features of the laptop that make it more or less suitable for software developers.
Screen Quality
9.3/10
8.4/10
16.2in
SIZE
13.4in
3456 x 2234
RESOLUTION
2560 x 1600
Mini LED
DISPLAY TECHNOLOGY
IPS
120Hz
REFRESH RATE
165Hz
487.0 nits
BRIGHTNESS
511.0 nits
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has a better screen than the ASUS ROG Flow X13 for general use, AI, engineering and design, software development, and content creation.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16's display excels for general use and engineering due to its high resolution and brightness, alongside a panel that accurately displays a wide range of colors, essential for detailed design work. ASUS ROG Flow X13 also offers a sharp display with vibrant colors, making it suitable for general tasks and professional design, though it falls behind in brightness compared to the MacBook. However, both laptops lack high refresh rates, which detracts from their efficacy for 3D applications where smoother visuals are crucial.
Battery
17.5 Hours
8.0 Hours
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 has 17.5 hours of battery life. The ASUS ROG Flow X13 has 8 hours of battery life.
Battery life estimate is based on a mix of common use patterns. More portable and higher performing laptops tend to have less battery life.
Portability
Good
Very Good
16.2in
SIZE
13.4in
4.7 lbs
WEIGHT
2.8 lbs
0.6in
THICKNESS
0.7in
The ASUS ROG Flow X13 has very good portability, while the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) has good portability.
The most portable laptops are small, thin, and light.
Build Quality
10.0/10
8.5/10
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) has best in class build quality, while the ASUS ROG Flow X13 has very good build quality.
PerfectRec’s Build Quality Score incorporates case materials, display and keyboard flex, hinge quality, and overall reliability.
Cost
$3,099
$2,500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
$4,000
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) has a price of $3,099 and the ASUS ROG Flow X13 costs $2,500.
The ASUS ROG Flow X13 and Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) are both good for gaming and AI.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) is well-suited for 3D tasks with its powerful integrated GPU and high-definition Mini LED display, but its MacOS limits game compatibility. In contrast, the ASUS ROG Flow X13 has a high-performance Nvidia GPU and a faster screen refresh rate, making it ideal for gaming and 3D on Windows 11, which supports a broader range of games.
Engineering and Design
8.9/10
8.5/10
9.1/10
OVERALL CPU SCORE
9.2/10
6.2/10
OVERALL GPU SCORE
7.4/10
18.0 GB
RAM
16.0 GB
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) and ASUS ROG Flow X13 are both very good for engineering and design.
The Apple MacBook Pro 16 with its high-performance Apple M3 Pro chip and expansive Mini LED screen delivers exceptional CPU, GPU, and screen quality for demanding engineering and design work; it also offers a longer battery life and quieter operating noise, but it's heavier and larger, affecting portability.
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How the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) and the ASUS ROG Flow X13 compare to other laptops
"The Apple MacBook Pro 16 2023: M2 Max challenges GeForce RTX 3080 Ti. The new MacBook Pro 16 2023 with the M2 Max SoC is the most powerful laptop Apple has on sale right now. While we do not get the expected performance and efficiency improvements from completely new 3 nm chips, which we expected ahead of the launch, the 2023 model is still a solid update. The CPU of the M2 Max can be up to 20 % faster than the old model and we also see an advantage of 25-30 % for the GPU with 38 cores. However, both components also consume more power, so the efficiency did not change that much under maximum load."
"The Asus ROG Flow X13 is not an off-the-shelf convertible. This quickly becomes clear when you take a closer look at the technical specs. The AMD Ryzen 9 5980HS is a state-of-the-art SoC with 8 cores and 16 threads, which also makes the 2-in-1 interesting as a work device. With 32 GB of RAM and a 1 TB SSD, gamers are also well taken care of. The dedicated Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 Max-Q fits well into the overall concept and ensures a solid 3D performance. With the eGPU dock, which is equipped with a GeForce RTX 3080, the small convertible transforms into a full-fledged desktop replacement in terms of performance."
Get a great deal on the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (Late 2023) or the ASUS ROG Flow X13
About Apple
Apple, an American technology company, is one of the world’s largest company in terms of market capitalization. Their MacBook laptops feature a slim, minimalistic design, class-leading battery life, and premium display and speaker quality. In 2020 Apple switched from using Intel processors to their own silicon chips which have excellent performance and efficiency. The macOS operating system is the second most widely used OS, after Windows.
About ASUS
ASUS, a Taiwanese electronics brand, is one of the largest personal computer vendor by market share. The majority of their laptops are targeted towards personal use or gaming. Their most popular product lines include the budget-friendly VivoBook, more premium ZenBook, and their TUF and ROG gaming laptops, the latter of which has a reputation for excellent gaming performance.
This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec laptops team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest laptop information and makes it digestible for you.
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